Saturday, June 30, 2018

Red, White, and Blue Layer Cake

Red, White, and Blue Layer Cake

This Red, White, and Blue Layer Cake is ideal for any 4th of July spread—everyone loves cake, and a pretty layer cake like this one makes the day feel extra special.

It starts with tender and moist vanilla buttermilk cake, which then gets layered with fluffy Swiss meringue (which will hold up well on a hot summer day). Top it off with plenty of ripe summer berries—strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries!

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Meal Plan for July Week 1

Meal Plan for July Week 1

This month, Summer Miller is back, sharing her meal plans for April. Summer is a mom, a full-time food writer, and also helps test the fabulous recipes we bring you every week at Simply Recipes.

This is about the time of year when home gardens and farm stands start bursting with produce. The best of which is not only visually stunning on the plate, but also often refreshing made into a beverage and served in highball glass.

Which is why I’m including a few summery drink recipes in this month’s meal plan, some with alcohol and some without. They’ll make your front porch-sitting activities even more relaxing.

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Friday, June 29, 2018

{Contest!} Win Big in our Summer Potluck Photo Contest!

{Contest!} Win Big in our Summer Potluck Photo Contest!

Get Cooking and Win! This summer, we’re partnering with @calripeolives and hosting a virtual Summer Potluck Photo Contest! Break out your favorite recipe using California Ripe Olives, and join in the fun. We can’t wait to see what you cook up!

Entering is Easy: For a chance to win, follow @calripeolives on Instagram, snap a photo of your favorite California Ripe Olives recipe, and show your original photo off on Instagram with the tag #CalRipeOlivesContest

Let’s Talk Prizes! Each week, Elise will pick two $100 winners, and at the end of the contest, she’ll choose one $1000 grand prize winner!

Get the Details: The contest runs from June 25th, 2018 to August 5th, 2018. Check out the Contest Page for additional details on entering today!

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Best Hampton Real Estate Agent Stephen Price | Steve Price Best Realtor At Rose & Womble

Best Hampton Real Estate Agent Stephen Price | Steve Price Best Realtor At Rose & Womble Best Hampton Real Estate Agent Stephen Price | Steve Price Best Realtor At Rose & Womble
Call Stephen Price, the Best Real Estate Agent At Rose & Womble in Hampton Virginia (757) 873-1323 or visit our listings here. https://ift.tt/2KzjQ1n Are you looking for the best realtor in Hampton, Virginia? Hi, I'm Stephen Price with Rose & Womble and I love helping buyers and sellers find their Hamptons Roads dream home. If you are searching for real estate homes for sale in Hampton, Virginia then call me or view our recently listed properties in Hampton and surrounding areas. We have hundreds of listings including new construction, new homes and waterfront. If you are relocating to Hampton, Virginia contact us today for a free relocation package. We receive new listings everyday, so check back regularly! We service all Neighborhood Districts & Zip Codes in Hampton, Virginia include: Farmington in Northhampton Tidemill Farms in Magruder Mercury Central North King St Fox Hill Buckroe Phoebus Downtown Greater Wythe Aberdeen 23630 23631 23653 23661 23663 23664 23665 23666 23667 23668 23669 23670 23681 As a born and bred competitive agent in the Hampton Roads, I know what it takes to buy and sell homes in this market. I promise to communicate with you at every aspect of our real estate transaction including answering the phone when ever you have any questions. I promise to do everything in my power to get your home sold fast or find you the Hampton Virginia home of your dreams. If you are looking for a top real estate agent in Hampton, Virginia, call me so I can show you how I seperate myself from all the other agents available to list your home. Our customer service, knowledge of the Hampton Roads area, and our marketing & technology are second to none and I would love the opportunity to talk to you about your real estate needs. Stephen Price - Top Agent Real Estate Services · Buying · Selling (757) 873-1323 (757) 771-4498 VA License#:0225217114 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYmPCLzmAqg

Thursday, June 28, 2018

What to Stock Up on in July - Frugal Family Home

What to Stock Up on in July - Frugal Family Home

How can you save if you’re not a couponer? You can save by purchasing items when they are on sale at rock bottom prices and buy in season.

But you need to know the best time to purchase certain items. That’s why I’ve put together a list of what to stock up on in July.

What to buy in July- a quick list of items that are on sale, marked down, or on clearance in July. Save money by stocking up on items while they are on sale that you need.

What to Stock Up on in July

July is when summer gets into full swing. There’s the 4th of July and many people take vacations during this month too. But in between all that summer fun be sure to watch for the good deals on the items below.

BBQ Foods and Supplies

July is the month to save on BBQ items. You should find great deals on meat to barbecue such as hamburgers, hot dogs, ribs, and steaks. As well as condiments to go with them like ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, relish, and pickles.

BBQ supplies such as charcoal, plastic and paper plates and cups should be on sale. Be sure to watch for after 4th of July sales for red and white items that could be used for Christmas too.

School Supplies

Yes, it seems like school just let out but the back to school sales will start this month. It’s a great time to stock up on items the kids will need to go back to school with, but don’t stop there. Be sure to pick up office supply items you’ll need for the home too.

You’ll start to see deals on folders, notebooks, and binders. As well as rulers and calculators. Stock up on pencils and pencil boxes or zipper pockets at low prices. Markers and whiteboard markers should be on sale. Along with glue, glue sticks, and staplers.

School supplies also make great stocking stuffers or are good to include in shoeboxes to send to children overseas. Be sure to stock up this month and next while the best deals of the year can be had.

Garden and Patio Items

With gardening season in full swing, you’ll be sure to find discounts on items for your garden for this year and next along with outdoor living items too.

Look for garden items such as live plants, seeds, garden hoses, sprinklers, solar lights, bird baths and bird seed.

Outdoor living items will start to be on sale too. Look for items like lawn chairs, outdoor furniture, grills, and grill accessories too.

Beach and Camping Supplies

With summer in full swing, the retailers will want to give you a good deal on things you can use now. Take advantage of sales on umbrellas, beach towels, beach chairs. As well as sunscreen and suntan lotion.

Camping supplies are sure to start going on sale too. Look for tents, lanterns, sleeping bags, and other camping supplies to be on sale.

Ice Cream

Did you know that July is National Ice Cream month? You are sure to find deals on all those yummy ice cream treats you and your family love. Look for good sales and even some good coupons to match up with those sales this month.

In Season Produce

When you purchase produce in season you not only save but get some great tasting produce too. This month’s in season produce includes blueberries, grapes, corn, green beans, cucumbers, garlic, nectarines, peaches, bell peppers, summer squash, tomatoes, plums, pears, tomatoes, and red onions.

What to buy in July- a quick list of items that are on sale, marked down, or on clearance in July. Save money by stocking up on items while they are on sale that you need.

Keep these items above in mind when you are out shopping or looking over the sales flyers this month. Stock up while these items are on sale to keep your budget low.

What do you plan to stock up on in July?

More Ways to Save

Ways to Save on Clothing
Make Your Own Cleaning Supplies and Save
3 Ways To Watch Free Movies Online

SaveSave

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Wednesday, June 27, 2018

Watermelon Pitcher Margaritas

Watermelon Pitcher Margaritas Watermelon margaritas for a crowd

When it comes to cocktails, the situation dictates the drink. If you’re having a swanky steak dinner, then that’s a martini sort of meal. Headed to a picnic and Shakespeare in the Park? That begs for the boozy Pomegranate Paloma, swigged from a flask. (Assuming you’re seeing a comedy. If it’s a tragedy, go with something bitter, such as a Dark and Stormy.)

But if the weather is sporting triple digits and I’m floating on a raft in the pool, then it’s time to go for something juicier and far more thirst quenching. Enter the watermelon margarita.

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Tuesday, June 26, 2018

10 Best Grilling Recipes for the 4th of July

10 Best Grilling Recipes for the 4th of July 4th of July Grilling Recipes

The 4th of July is one of those quintessentially American summer holidays that just requires firing up the grill and hanging around outside. Whether you’ve got your menu all planned out already or need some inspiration, don’t miss these ideas!

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Editable and Printable 2018 July Calendar Pack - Frugal Family Home

Editable and Printable 2018 July Calendar Pack - Frugal Family Home

The summer is officially here. Don’t let this summer slip by instead make a plan to make the most of your summer. Starting with this printable July calendar pack.

Grab the printable July calendar pack below…

2 pages in the July calendar pack

Plan Your Month with this Printable July Calendar Pack

With summer right around the corner, you want to make the most of those long summer days. You can do that by making a plan.

Not just any plan, but plans to include all the important things you want to do with your family this month.

Maybe you want to can peaches to enjoy this winter. Or maybe it’s a few day trips to the beach. Making a plan and writing it done makes it more likely to happen.

Pick a day, make a plan, and get it on the calendar. And this July calendar pack is perfect for planning your summer fun.

The July Calendar Pack is Editable

With this July calendar printable pack, you can edit the pages before you print it. It’s so nice. I don’t know about you but handwriting in on the squares always seems messy.

It’s so much nicer when you can type your plans on the square and then print the calendar page you want.

the horizontal calendar page in the July 2018 calendar pack.

Choose the Calendar Page you Want

There are two calendars in this printable pack. One that is vertical, great for putting in a binder and one that is horizontal. The horizontal one is great for hanging on the wall or refrigerator.

Print as Many as You Need

Because these are printable you can print as many as you need. It will only cost you ink and paper. Plus I’ve tried to make these pretty but also ink friendly too. So it won’t cost you too much to print them at home.

Grab your Printable and Editable July Calendar Pack below…

When you join our email list, you’ll be sent not only this calendar pack but all the new calendar packs for the months to come. Not a bad deal, huh?!
Click here to join to get added to the email list!

both calendars in the July calendar pack

I hope you find this July calendar pack helpful and the calendars help you make the most of your summer.

Find More Summer Ideas..

100+ Summer Boredom Busters
How to Save Money While on Vacation
Make the Most of Your Summer

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Monday, June 25, 2018

Grilled Salsa Verde Chicken

Grilled Salsa Verde Chicken Grilled Chicken with Salsa Verde

One of summer’s pleasures is to cook outside on the grill. All the mess stays out of the kitchen, along with the heat.

The beauty of a dish like these grilled chicken thighs with salsa verde is that you have dinner on the table in 20 to 30 minutes, with almost zero prep time. 

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10 July Activities for Catholic Families {Free Printable}

10 July Activities for Catholic Families {Free Printable}

I love the different rhythm that our lives get into during the summertime. Sure, we get busy, but I love that we get to have times to sleep late, stay up late, eat lots of local fresh produce, and spend a lot of extra time together. It’s also a great time to work on some

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Menu Plan Monday, Quick and Easy Meals - Frugal Family Home

Menu Plan Monday, Quick and Easy Meals - Frugal Family Home

Do you have a meal plan ready for this week? If not we’ll be having simple meals, so I don’t have to spend too much time in the kitchen. If you need a few meal ideas scroll down to see what’s cooking at our house this week.

Menu plan with recipe links

This week’s menu plan is a fairly simple one. Since my husband will be home with us all week I wanted to make sure to have time to do some fun things and not have to worry about being in the kitchen cooking much. Kinda like a mini vacation for me too. 🙂

So nothing fancy on our menu this week. Just quick and easy meals that don’t require turning on the oven. Because even though it’s not hot here this week, it might be warm where you live.

Here are our meals for this week… Dinners

Hamburger Noodle Skillet Dinner, this is a simple comfort food that can be made in 20 minutes in a skillet. If you love easy to make recipes that don’t break the bank give this hamburger skillet recipe a try. At less than $1 a serving, it’s hard to beat.

Hamburger Skillet Dish,  Salad, and Fruit

Kielbasa Potato Skillet, Salad, and Fruit

Ground Beef Lettuce Wraps, Rice, Fruit, and Sugar Snap Peas

Chicken Fajitas, Refried Beans, Fruit, and Salsa and Chips

Crock Pot Split Pea Soup, Bread, and Salad

Teriyaki Chicken, Rice, and Stir Fry Vegetables

Crisp Tacos, Refried Beans, Fruit, and Salsa and Chips

Lunches


Leftovers

Out to Lunch

Hoagie Roll Sandwiches with Chips

Hamburgers with Homemade Baked Fries

Breakfast

This is an easy and delicious baked donuts recipe. Who wouldn’t love double chocolate donuts that are baked to help keep the fat down? Better yet, these are also dairy free donuts too. You’ll have to see how easy these are to make. If you can measure and stir you can make them too.

Toast made from homemade bread and Eggs

Pancakes, Eggs, and Sausage

Chocolate Donuts, Eggs and Bacon

What’s cooking at your house this week? I would love to have you share your menu in the comments below. 

Where to find more menu plan ideas for this week.

Do you need help planning your menu? Find my menu planning tips here with a free printable menu planner page and here for my frugal menu planning tips.

This post contains affiliate links. Thanks for your support.


Find more menu plan ideas at Org Junkie too.

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Sunday, June 24, 2018

How to Grill the Best Burgers

How to Grill the Best Burgers Grilled Burger Recipe

Grilling season is upon us, and this year I’ve decided master the art of America’s summertime grilling favorite—the hamburger.

My aim: a burger that is easy to throw together on a weeknight, flavorful enough to stand up to the person who adds every condiment known to mankind to his or her burger, and yet balanced enough to satisfy the minimalist burger eater (ketchup only, please!).

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Saturday, June 23, 2018

Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies

Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies Peanut Butter Brownie Recipe

Chocolate and peanut butter are a definite contender for best dessert duo. Personally, my love for the pairing has a lot to do with the irresistible combination of sweet and salty.

These rich, chocolatey brownies with enticing swirls of peanut butter throughout send my taste buds into a tizzy with every bite. (And it doesn’t hurt that they’re so visually appealing.)

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Meal Plan for June Week 4

Meal Plan for June Week 4 Meal Plan for June Week 4

This month, we welcome back Marta Rivera for more of her meal plans. Marta is a trained chef, mom of twins, and Army wife – and she is also one of our Simply Recipes recipe testers!

Being a military family, we don’t always have the luxury of all of us being in the same house, let alone the same country. When the mission allows us to share dinners together as a family, as it does this month, we are grateful.

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Our Family’s Disney World Art of Animation Resort Review

Our Family’s Disney World Art of Animation Resort Review

One of our favorite vacation destinations is Walt Disney World. We love the rides, the food, and the amazing resorts. During our visits, we have stayed at a variety of the on-site Disney World resorts. I’d love to share an Art of Animation Resort review to help you decide if it’s the right resort for

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Friday, June 22, 2018

June Word Search Printable Puzzle for Kids

June Word Search Printable Puzzle for Kids

June means the start of summer, a little extra free time (in theory, but hardly ever in practice), camps, fresh produce, and a different life than during most of the year. Viva summer time! This means it’s also time for a free June Word Search Printable Set for Kids. This free download includes two different versions

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Thursday, June 21, 2018

Quick & Easy Tips to Organize Your Refrigerator!

Quick & Easy Tips to Organize Your Refrigerator! The refrigerator is meant to keep things cold, but it is one of the "hottest" spots in the home! This is where much of the food is stored that nourishes our families, and it is accessed multiple times a day. Knowing that, I always recommend that folks invest a small amount of time creating a few easy systems that aid in streamlining the meal planning and food preparing process. And I am not talking anything fancy, just really obtainable and sanity-saving ideas that save time with fewer trips to the grocery store and provide quicker meal making over the course of a busy week.



GE Appliances recently invited me to Louisville, KY, to help a family of five organize their fridge. Just like us, this family has three growing boys in a variety of activities, and needed some organizational tips to simplify their food storage just in time for the hectic summer months.

Now, we have all seen those organized fridges that go viral because they are perfectly styled with rows of bins filled with flowers, colorful fruits and pretty cans of fizzy water. I could look at pictures of fridges like that all day long, and I always appreciate a good bin, but I do have to wonder, where is all of the food? The meals for a large family, the leftovers, the snacks, the breakfasts and lunches that last for the entire week? I really wanted to offer up some of my favorite usable and practical tips to help this family, and you, take control of the fridge.

When I arrived at the family's home, I was welcomed with a new, large capacity fridge and a week's worth of groceries straight from the grocery store.


I showed up with a few of my tried and true organizers and got right to work assessing what a typical week's worth of groceries looks like for this family, and how I can best set up their fridge to accommodate both the food and their lifestyle. My number one goal was to put a fridge together that is easy to maintain, offers future versatility, and remains functional week after week.

The fantastic team at GE Appliances was there to see how it all went down, and they put together a quick video of my ten go-to, no fail refrigerator organizing tips. Check it out below!




Here is a quick recap of the video's talking points:



Although I generally encourage folks to empty a space first, when it comes to the fridge, I actually recommend the opposite. Fill your fridge just as you would on a typical week, or maybe even shop and plan for those times when you have more food than usual (think extra kids visiting or a party or eating home every night of the week, etc...). This is really helpful in setting up your fridge to work for you week after week and to consistently accommodate your routine and lifestyle. This is also the best way to plan for any organizational bins and storage you may wish to add.



Whether you are organizing an entire room, a cabinet, or the fridge, I always recommend keeping like items with like, and sorting things into general categories. By placing items back in specific locations, you create a bit of muscle memory and can quickly find things time after time. Keeping the fridge categorized is also quite helpful before heading to the grocery store. Just open the fridge and do a quick visual scan to see what foods and condiments need replenishing.


In this specific fridge, I did condiments in the door (even divided out spreads, juices/beverages, toppings & dressings, and garnishes), salsas and sauces on the top shelf, kits on the next couple of shelves, main dishes and leftovers alongside milk & eggs in the large middle area, followed by veggies, fruits and deli items in the drawers below.



These days refrigerators help you easily store the majority of your items in specific temperature controlled areas. That said, it is good to know the ideals temps and locations for storing your food, to be sure to get the most out of that food. Take advantage of the specific drawers for keeping your veggies crispier, your fruits fresher and your deli meats and cheeses ready for lunch making.


Beyond that, I have read a few different articles that also recommend keeping your milk, dairy, and meats at the center of the fridge where it is coldest. The door is not recommended for eggs or milk because that is generally the warmest location and can cause early spoiling, but this location works great for juices and dressings. Also, there are a lot of fruits and veggies that actually do better stored outside of the fridge, and knowing which ones with help to free up even more space for the items intended to stay nice and cold inside.



I have been a long time kit maker and kit cheerleader! And for this fridge, I spent no more than ten minutes putting together five fuss-free kits.


Kit number one was a breakfast bin to hold yogurts and rolls. It can also be a place to store some berries, spreads, toppings, etc... whatever you relate to breakfast specific meals. Kits 2 - 4 were snack kits; one filled with finger veggies portioned into snack bags (snap peas, carrots, sliced peppers, celery, etc...), one filled with finger fruits portioned into snack bags (berries, melon, orange slices, etc...), and the last with some grab-no-go snack cups. Finally, a tray to hold deli meats and cheeses that can quickly transfer to the counter for sandwich making (I also like to add some other sandwich toppings to the tray such as sliced tomato, onion, and avocado).


Investing a few minutes after grocery shopping to put together these really quick solutions saves so much time for the entire crew over the course of a week.



You may have noticed, but the majority of the bins used throughout the fridge are clear! That's because clear storage gives you that quick visual and reduces time spent looking through and for things. Before heading to the grocery store, just open the fridge and you can see which bins are running low without pulling everything out.


Another bonus for using bins for corralling the majority of the fridge contents is that they can be individually removed and cleaned at the sink, which is much quicker and easier than trying to scrub down the entire interior of your fridge when things spill and leak.



Not only do bins help to categorize your fridge contents, they also act as additional drawers!


To make the most of a fridge, it is best to adjust the shelves throughout, but that may limit your ease of accessing the items near the back. Extra long bins help to bring those foods to the front in one quick motion. I also recommend selecting bins that have handles or are lightweight for portability.



Why label? Because it keeps everyone on the same page and allows the entire family to quickly identify and locate where things are. Even if you put a variety of breakfast items into a clear bin, your little one may not know what everything in that particular bin has in common without the help of a simple label. Labeling also helps everyone put things back in the right "zones" and to keep general order.


As much as I love a good label, try not to over-label. The goal is to keep the fridge flexible yet simple from week to week, so general categories are best.



Just like deep bins, turntables are another really wonderful solution for preventing items from getting lost near the back. They are especially great for heavier jars or bulkier containers.


We have used a turntable in our fridge for quite some time now, and I absolutely love it. But this larger version with a lip really stole my heart and I will be upgrading immediately. It makes better use of an entire shelf and also reduces the risk of items falling off and breaking or spilling. So many wins.



I divide my utensil drawers, my junk drawer, my dresser drawer, so why wouldn't I divide the drawers inside of the fridge?


Smaller open-top bins and baskets are a great way to prevent fruits and veggies from rolling around. They also work well for separating out the contents of the deli drawer.



Did you know that you can write on most glass and plastic storage containers with a chalk or dry erase marker, and then just erase it away when it is time for a change? I love this so much, it is so easy to label our food storage containers with the meal contents, prep instructions and the dates that they were prepared or purchased. (Be sure to test your marker/bin combo in an inconspicuous spot a few times just to be sure they are compatible.)


No more questioning if the food in the container is yesterday's dinner leftovers or last week's science project.  #beenthere




So there you have it! I was so thrilled that GE Appliances asked me to help this family setup and organize their new fridge. As you may have noticed, this specific fridge had more space than I was even able to fill, which was a first for me with the many different refrigerators I have organized over the years. I am obsessed with how many main dishes, leftovers, and sides were stored throughout, and the flexibility there is for adding additional items for cookouts, birthday parties, entertaining, etc... But what tickled me most about this whole experience was watching the homeowner open her fridge and point out all of the details, and getting excited about the solutions I whipped up for their clan. There was a bit of relief, and she also expressed how easy it was to find things and transfer items to the nearby counters. That is the best feeling ever.

There are a few products that continue to be superstar workhorses for me each and every time I organize a fridge, and I have sourced them for you below.



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** This post was created in collaboration with GE Appliances to share my favorite fridge organizing tips. All of the ideas and opinions shared are my own. I sincerely appreciate brands supporting my content and work! **

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Tuesday, June 19, 2018

Summer Themed Word Search Printable

Summer Themed Word Search Printable

Even though the weather has already heated up, summer is only just upon us now.  To celebrate the start of summer, I thought it would be fun to have a summer themed word search printable. This summer word search would be perfect for taking along on a road trip, racing to get finished first during some

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Monday, June 18, 2018

Pressure Cooker Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Pressure Cooker Chicken Lettuce Wraps Lettuce Cup recipe in the Instant Pot

Here’s a light dinner that’s easy to make last-minute and doesn’t heat up your kitchen! Pressure cook the savory chicken filling, then spoon it into lettuce wraps for an easy meal.

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Free Printable Saints Coloring Book for June

Free Printable Saints Coloring Book for June

I can hardly believe it’s June, and yet it’s already more than halfway finished. How did that happen? We have been busy with high school graduation for our oldest, a graduation party, a day at college to register for classes, drama camp for two kids, and dance camp for one of the kids. All of

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Menu Plan Monday, June 18th - Frugal Family Home

Menu Plan Monday, June 18th - Frugal Family Home

Are you ready for the new week with your meal plan? If not you can see what’s cooking at our house below…

Menu plan with recipe links

This week’s menu is full of quick and easy to make meals. Most of them can also be grilled or prepared on the stove top.

Did you know you can grill pizza?

When it’s too hot to bake a pizza in the house I will bake/grill them on our wood fired grilled outside. The crust turns out so nice and crisp.

It’s a great way to make pizza on a hot day.

The rest of the week will be skillet meals to keep the house cool. The hot weather is supposed to arrive soon.

We will have to wait and see. But I’ll be prepared at least with the meals I’ll be making.

Here’s our meal plan for this week…

Dinners

Yummy and Delicious Recipe for Hoisin Meatballs, Frugal Family Home

Hoisin Meatballs, Rice, and Sugar Snap Peas

Marsala Chicken, Eggs Noodles, and Salad

Pan Fried Pork Chops, Mashed Potatoes, and Salad

Lime Cilantro Chicken on Tortillas, Chips, and Salsa, and Fruit

Delicious Grilled Pizza | Frugal Family Home

Pizza and Salad

Grilled Pork Chops, Mashed Potatoes, and Vegetables

Hot Dogs, Peppers and Potato Skillet, Salad, and Fruit

Lunches

Leftovers most days

Hot Dogs, Chips, and Fruit

Burritos, Chips, and Salsa

Breakfasts

Homemade bread recipe

Toast made from Homemade Bread, and Eggs

Pancakes, Sausage, and Eggs

Waffles, Sausage, and Eggs

Where to find more menu plan ideas for this week.

Do you need help planning your menu? Find my menu planning tips here with a free printable menu planner page and here for frugal menu planning tips.

This post contains affiliate links. Thanks for your support.


Find more menu plan ideas at Org Junkie too.

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Sunday, June 17, 2018

Hot Dogs with Spicy Kimchi Slaw

Hot Dogs with Spicy Kimchi Slaw Hot Dogs with Kimchi and Gochujang

One of my favorite things to do when I’m entertaining people in the summer months is to serve something very casual and familiar—but then add an unexpected twist.

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Saturday, June 16, 2018

Strawberry Yogurt Popsicles

Strawberry Yogurt Popsicles Strawberry Yogurt Pops

Get in line, boys and girls! It’s popsicle time!

When our son had the good sense to leave home after college, popsicles became obsolete in our kid-free zone. Silly me.

It’s time for a comeback. Those cooling, refreshing treats are going to be in my freezer all summer!

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Meal Plan for June Week 3

Meal Plan for June Week 3 Meal Plan for June Week 3

This month, we welcome back Marta Rivera for more of her meal plans. Marta is a trained chef, mom of twins, and Army wife – and she is also one of our Simply Recipes recipe testers!

Mid-June in Central Texas brings a whole new meaning to “The Dog Days of Summer.” It is HOT, y’all!

Because of that, I’m looking to create meals that require little to no heat in the kitchen, those that will cool me down, and others that I can set and forget. I’m so glad for sweet tea and cool breezes!

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Friday, June 15, 2018

4 Recipes that Prove Why Wild Alaska Seafood is a Great Choice

4 Recipes that Prove Why Wild Alaska Seafood is a Great Choice Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute

This content was produced in partnership with the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute, a public/private partnership between the state of Alaska and the Alaska seafood industry to promote its wild, natural, and sustainable seafood.

Show of hands: How many of you have stood in front of the fish case, gazing back and forth between your choices and had absolutely no idea what to buy?

We don’t mean just choosing between salmon or halibut for dinner, but what is truly the best choice? Wild-caught or farmed? Pacific or Atlantic fish? Is this particular species being overfished? Is this fish safe to eat? Is it worth the price?

Among all the choices available to us, there is one name that we feel you can trust, and that’s Alaska seafood.

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Dinosaur Printables for Preschoolers (Free Dinosaur Worksheets Packet)

Dinosaur Printables for Preschoolers (Free Dinosaur Worksheets Packet)

Dinosaur Printables for Preschoolers (Free Dinosaur Worksheets Packet) Post Preview: This post includes a free 7-page Dinosaur Worksheets Printable Packet for preschoolers and kindergarteners as well as some other dinosaur activities. This packet has some cute and fun (though not really scientifically accurate) dinosaur friends to work on basic skills. This free dinosaur printables packet

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What’s in Season in June?

What’s in Season in June? Summer Produce

Hello June and welcome to month 6 of our Monthly Produce Guide!

With June comes the tail end of spring and the the start of the glorious bountiful summer produce season.

What a month for fruit! Strawberries starting coming in a month ago, and now they are joined by cherries, apricots, and blueberries. It’s the season for tropical fruit as well—pineapples, mangoes, and papaya.

For veggies, we may still find remnants of spring—local asparagus, morels, favas, and sweet peas. The first zucchini of the season arrive, as well as cucumbers, peppers, and even corn. Lettuces abound, along with radishes, carrots, and cauliflower.

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Thursday, June 14, 2018

10 Foods Your Dad (Truly) Wants on Father’s Day

10 Foods Your Dad (Truly) Wants on Father’s Day Father's Day Recipe Round-Up

Grilled pork chops and steaks–and other typical dude foods—are pretty much a gimme for Father’s Day. So we polled a bunch of our dad friends and decided to find out what they really want to eat on Father’s Day.

Did they want dude food? Did they want something else? Some of the responses are what you might expect – and we’re including a few of those in this round-up as well!—but a few of the answers might surprise you.

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How to Make Honey Vanilla Berry Fruit Salad - Frugal Family Home

How to Make Honey Vanilla Berry Fruit Salad - Frugal Family Home

Summer is a great time to enjoy lots of fresh fruit. Whether it’s from your garden, the farmer’s market or the store, fruit tastes better when in season. This berry fruit salad takes advantage of all those berries and more that’s in season right now.

Very berry fruit salad with honey vanilla dressing in a serving bowl.

I don’t know about your family but our whole family loves fruit. All kinds of fruit and put it together into a salad and they will gobble it up.

What You’ll Need for this Very Berry Fruit Salad

Ingredients for this berry fruit saladBerries, you’ll need a variety of berries. Strawberries, blackberries, marionberries, blueberries, use what’s in season and inexpensive to get. I used strawberries from our garden and blackberries I found at the store.

Cherries, we love cherries and they work well. But if they aren’t in season when you have a craving for this salad, try grapes instead. I would cut them into slices so they aren’t so big in this homemade fruit salad.

Apples, I included apples because they are available year round and they are inexpensive.

Honey, honey adds a touch of sweetness, just in case a few of the fruit pieces are a little less ripe than you’d like

Vanilla, vanilla adds a touch of flavor that makes this homemade fruit salad taste that much better.

How to Make this Berry Fruit Salad, video instructions

I made a quick video to show you how to put this berry fruit salad together. Also below the video, I added links to my favorite paring knife and my favorite cherry pitter too. These are two tools I wouldn’t want to make this salad without.

Some links in this article are my referral links. When you purchase through them, I can make a little pocket change at no extra cost to you. Thanks! See my disclosure policy for more information.

Kitchen Tools that are helpful…

Small Paring Knife, I’ve owned a couple of these for years. They sharpen nicely and work great for so many food prep tasks. I wouldn’t want to be without them.

Cherry Pitter, that works like a charm and is inexpensive too.

The berry fruit salad in a bowl.

Get the printable recipe below or keep going tips and the cost breakdown of this healthy and delicious homemade fruit salad.

Berry Fruit Salad with Honey Vanilla Dressing
 
Prep time
10 mins
Total time
10 mins
 
Author: Shelly
Serves: 6 servings
Ingredients
  • 1 Apple, diced
  • 1 cup Blackberries
  • 1 cup Strawberries, halved
  • 1 cup Cherries, pitted
  • 1½ tablespoon Honey
  • 1 tablespoon Water
  • 2 teaspoons Vanilla
Instructions
  1. Wash, peel, and dice the apple.
  2. Wash the blackberries
  3. Wash, core, and halve the strawberries
  4. Wash and pit the cherries
  5. Place all the fruit into a large bowl.
  6. In a small bowl mix honey, water, and vanilla.
  7. Drizzle honey mixture over the fruit and stir.
  8. Serve.
3.5.3251

 

 

Overhead photo of two bowls of berry fruit salad

Tips for Making this Yummy Berry Fruit Salad

Make if Festive…

With the colors in this berry fruit salad, it would be perfect for a 4th of July celebration. You can use blueberries instead of the blackberries.

Also, you can use raspberries or a mix of raspberries and strawberries. For a very festive but healthy berry fruit salad.

Less Sugar…

Leave the honey out and mix the vanilla with a tablespoon of water. It will cut down on the sugar and still have a nice hint of vanilla too.

Use the Fruit You Have…

You don’t have to use the fruit I have listed. Although I think it’s a great combination. Use the fruit you have on hand or can get inexpensively. The honey vanilla dressing would be equally good on a melon salad or a mix of any fruit.

Tips in General…

If you’ll be using bananas wait to add them until right before serving so they don’t turn brown and mushy.

If using apples, I mix them into the dressing well to help keep them from turning brown. You could hold them out until ready to serve to be on the safe side.

If you want a thicker dressing, don’t add the water to the honey. Instead, use the honey with the vanilla only.

the homemade fruit salad in bowls with a sprig of mint

Cost Breakdown for this Berry Fruit Salad

The cost of this salad varies depending on the time of year you make it. I’ve included in season prices as that would be the best time to make this homemade fruit salad. These are prices I see in my area on these types of fruit when in season.

Strawberries $1.99/lb, 1 cup cost $.87
Blackberries $2.99/lb, 12 ounces 1 cup cost $.97
Cherries $2.99/lb, 1 cup cost $1.00
Apples $.99/lb, 1 apple cost $.34

Making the total cost for this recipe come to $3.18. This recipe makes 6 servings. Which brings the cost per serving to $.53. Not too bad.

Now if you are purchasing any of the fruit above out of season the cost could go up. Cherries out of season are $5.99 per pound and the same goes for blackberries they can go up at least $1 per pound when out of season.

The cost of this healthy berry fruit salad is reasonable to make.

What your favorite combination of fruit for a fruit salad?

More summer berry recipes to try…

Strawberry Freezer Jam
Red, White, and Blue Brownies
Raspberry Hand Pies

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Wednesday, June 13, 2018

Sweet Cherry Cobbler

Sweet Cherry Cobbler Easy Cherry Cobbler Recipe

As a kid, I ate a lot of cobblers in the summers when visiting my grandparents. We’d spend days picking ripe fruit from the bushes that grew wild in the hills surrounding their home, and bring it home for Grandma to make into cobbler. I think it was my grandma’s go-to dessert because on a warm day, it’s simply easier and quicker to make than pie—no chilling the pastry!

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Tuesday, June 12, 2018

5 Minute Summer Garden Tasks to Keep Your Garden Growing - Frugal Family Home

5 Minute Summer Garden Tasks to Keep Your Garden Growing - Frugal Family Home

With summer garden tasks it’s easy to think, I’ll do that later, I don’t have enough time. But with these 5-minute summer garden tasks, you can keep your garden growing without it taking over your life.

5 minute summer gardening tasks banner

5 Minute Summer Garden Tasks to Keep Your Garden Growing Great

Gardening can be rewarding and exciting. It’s so neat to take a little tiny seed and watch it grow into a beautiful plant. And produce food too.

But as the summer becomes busy, gardening tasks can become more of a chore than a fun activity. With so many things needing attention, it’s easy to think I’ll get to it later.

Just the other day I knew I needed to transplant my peppers into the garden. I started them in our mini greenhouse and they were big enough to transplant. But we had a lot going on. So I was putting it off.

But I decided I need to just transplant them. It took me about 5 minutes. Something I had put off because I thought it would take too long, only needed a few minutes of my time. And now it’s done.

But often the tasks we think will take a long time can be tackled in small chunks of time. By doing a little here and there you never have to spend a whole day working in the garden unless you want to.

Hydrangea flower in the garden

The summer garden tasks don’t have to be time-consuming when you tackle them in little bits of time like 5 minutes.

Gardening can be a lot easier when you take on the tasks you need to get done a little at a time. Instead of spending a whole day working in the garden and getting burnt out on it. Do a little each day, a couple of times a day.

This will make it feel like you aren’t spending much time at all. But you’ll keep up with your summer garden tasks too.

Tackle Small Portion of your Summer Garden Tasks

Below are the 4 main tasks I break up into little increments so they don’t overwhelm me. I find doing one of these when I go outside to do something else makes keeping up with these summer garden chores so much easier.

I work from home so when I need a break or I’m taking the dogs out, I’ll work on one of these 4 garden tasks. Multiply that by 5 to 6 times a day and you can make progress.

If you work outside the home, you might set aside 5-15 minutes in the morning and the same at night to tackle your summer chores in two chunks.

Some links below are my affiliate links. When you purchase through them, I can make a little money at no extra cost to you. Thanks! See my disclosure policy for more information.

Summer Gardening Tips, Tasks You Can Do Quickly

weeds growing in the summer garden

Weeding

I cover my garden beds in early spring to kill the weed seeds and keep them under control. But I still have a few pops up here and there. Nothing much but I know if I don’t tend to them, they will get out of control.

When I go outside for a quick break, I’ll pick one small section of the garden and pull all the weeds I see. It only takes a few moments, and it’s done. This works well for our vegetable garden.

The flower beds are more of a problem but I’ve found a quick and easy way to deter them too. Instead of pulling them, I’ll fill our garden sprayer with straight vinegar and a squirt of dish soap. When the sun is out, I’ll walk around the beds and spray any weeds I see popping up.

If the sun is out, they are dead by the next morning. It only takes a few minutes and I don’t have to worry about getting chemicals on me. So I can grab the sprayer and get the job done in just a few minutes.

flowers that need to be deadheaded in the summer gardening tasks

Deadheading

Removing dead flower heads off the plants is important to keep them blooming all season long. If you wait until the whole plant is covered in seed pods, it will take a while. Instead, as you pass by grab any dead flowers off the plants.

This works great for plants you pass by often when leaving the house.

For hanging plants it’s good to deadhead while you are watering. Since most hanging planters need to be water every day or two, you can grab the few flowers that need to be removed and be done.

This will keep your hanging planters in bloom and looking great.

Or you can harvest the flower for bouquets as they start to become past their prime. This is how I keep our roses in bloom. As I see the buds are fully open but not dropping petals yet, I’ll pick them.

We continually have rose bouquets in our house by doing this and I give away bouquets to the neighbors too. Or you can pick the petals to make rose oil or rose water.

Keeping Up with Watering in August | Frugal Family Home

Watering

Watering can be a chore especially if you have lots of plants in pots or many areas to water. But you can make it easier by having a schedule to follow. So each day you water a certain area or certain containers.

We rotate between the backyard containers and the front yard every other day. Splitting them up helps to keep the time needed to water down to a few minutes at a time.

Ways to Save Money on Your Water Bill, Drip Irrigation--Frugal Family Home

For our garden areas, we use soaker hoses and sprinkler system. Investing in an easy to install DIY sprinkler system for our garden beds has been a huge time saver. You can even set up a sprinkler system for your containers that are next to one another.

But if you don’t have a sprinkler system, you can find the best way to set out sprinklers in your garden.

Setting up a sprinkler only take a minute or two and then all you need to do is move it after it has watered. Making this summer garden chore easier and quick to do in just a few minutes.

peas growing in the summer garden

Harvesting

Like deadheading flowers, harvesting regularly keeps your plants producing. If you harvest every day or two, harvesting your vegetables and fruit can be done in 5 minutes or fewer. Well depending on the size of your garden.

I spend a few minutes in the morning harvesting. I take a bowl or my harvesting apron with me and pick everything ready to harvest. By picking in the morning I can make a plan for what to do with the harvest.

Will we eat it for dinner? Do I need to freeze or can this for later? I can harvest and then make a plan to preserve or use the produce so it doesn’t go bad.

When you harvest daily or every other day, it won’t take you long at all. And it helps to keep your garden producing.

Want More Gardening Tips?

This is our regular Tuesdays in the Garden time. Each month my fellow garden bloggers and I share tips to help your garden thrive. This week we are sharing about summer garden tips and tasks. Below you’ll find more garden ideas I know will be super helpful.

Just click on the photo and you’ll be taken to their article.

Patti's photo   Diane's photo   Jamis photo   Angie's Photo   Michelle's Photo

Find more garden inspiration by following this link. 

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